It is astounding to realize that millions of Middle-Eastern Muslims hate the West (and the USA in particular). I am not talking about the terrorists -- barbarian savages who launch suicidal attacks on innocent men, women and children. I am speaking of day laborers and artisans, mothers and school-children, regular people sometimes referred to as "the Arab street." Political correctness says they hate us because they disagree with our democracy, our capitalism, our cherished freedoms -- often summed up as our "way of life." That is a comfortable answer, to be sure, but it is also wrong. In … [Read more...]
IS ALLAH GOD?
A gracEmail subscriber writes: "Recently in Sunday school, our teacher said that Allah is not the same God that we know. I've always been under the impression that Allah and God were the same, just worshipped differently by Muslims and Christians. What do you think?" * * * In the Arabic language, Allah is the word for "God." The goal of devout Muslims is absolute submission (Arabic: Islam) to him. Muslims believe that Allah revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad during the years from 610-622 A.D., dictating it letter by letter through the archangel Gabriel. Some Christians argue that … [Read more...]
CHURCH WITHOUT JESUS
There is a church in my town which features inspirational speakers, although they never mention sin or salvation through Jesus Christ. Sometimes they seem to say that we are actually gods. What, someone asks, do I think of that? * * * The Bible informs us that there is one true God, who made all that exists, including our own human kind. Nature is not God and neither are we. We are mortal, dependent creatures, who exist at God's will, through his power and by his grace. Although we consist of earthly elements, we bear the divine image. Yet from Adam forward, we humans have denied our mortal … [Read more...]
MORAL CHOICES AND MATURITY
A gracEmail subscriber belongs to a church group whose leaders give "advice" to the members on whom they may date, when, how often and so forth. Although our brother carefully follows scriptural teaching on sexual purity, he does not always agree with his church leaders' opinions in other details. Yet he feels guilty and unspiritual when he chooses not to follow their "advice." He asks my thoughts. * * * Is this group being completely honest in its vocabulary? It is one thing to offer "advice" or "suggestions." Wise Christians will listen to godly counsel from others who demonstrate healthy … [Read more...]
GOSPEL OF JUDAS (UPDATE)
Since writing the previous gracEmail on the "Gospel of Judas," I have viewed the two-hour television special aired on Sunday night, April 9, 2006 on the National Geographic Channel and have read the actual translation of this document. Having now seen the program and having read the "Gospel of Judas" itself, both of which confirmed the previous gracEmail, I add the following observations in this quick update. National Geographic certainly knows how to tantalize an audience even though its titillation is sometimes misleading. In discussing the "Gospel of Judas" found in an Egyptian cave in the … [Read more...]
REFORMERS WERE NOT GNOSTICS
A young minister in Canada suggests that the Gnostics, whom John denounced in 1 and 2 John as "antichrists," taught "faith only" and "eternal security," and that the Reformers Luther and Calvin were therefore "antichrists" as well since they also taught both doctrines. * * * It is absurd for anyone to compare the Gnostics against whom John wrote (and Paul, and the later Church Fathers) to the great Christian reformers Luther and Calvin, or to any evangelical or orthodox group of Christians today. The Gnostics (a very fluid term for a wide variety of individuals over a period of several … [Read more...]
WHO’S AT THE DOOR?
A gracEmail subscriber from Florida asks, "Am I violating Scripture when I invite cultic door-to-door evangelists into my home to discuss the Bible, hoping I can teach them about Christ? Second John 10 says we are not to receive into our house anyone who comes bringing a non-Christian message." * * * The Apostle John reminds his readers of the original Christian message which centers on Jesus himself (2 John 6). Then as now, some who claimed to represent Jesus denied fundamental elements of the apostolic testimony. John focuses here on some whom scholars refer to as "Gnostics," who denied … [Read more...]
THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
A gracEmail subscriber wants to know more about the so-called "Jehovah's Witnesses" who go door-to-door evangelizing, and whether he should regard them as Christians. * * * The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is an American-born, now international, apocalyptic religious movement founded about 1884 by Charles Taze Russell. Since 1931, its members have called themselves "Jehovah's Witnesses" based on Isaiah 43:10-12. These people are usually very high-principled morally and are extremely zealous for their faith. They teach that Jesus set up his invisible heavenly kingdom in 1914, which he … [Read more...]
MIRACLES, MORMONS & PROPHETS
A brother who is sure that God does not perform miracles today writes that people in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claim to heal the sick and speak in tongues, as do Pentecostals. "How can you condemn the Mormons," he asks, "if they are sincere? If you think prophecy has not ceased, how can you say the Book of Mormon is not from God and ought not be added to the Bible?" * * * First of all, no one needs to "condemn" the Mormons or anyone else for claiming spiritual gifts or miracles. It is not our job to condemn, but to witness to the truth we know and to point others to … [Read more...]
GOD’S NEW REALITY
When Jesus came preaching, his message contained both announcement and imperative: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15). This is not the word for clock-and-calendar "time" (chronos) that we can calculate in advance. It is a word (kairos) indicating the right time for a specific event, a fixed time. In Jewish and Christian literature this word particularly refers to a special era when God will send his anointed One (Hebrew -- "Messiah"; Greek -- "Christ") to break the destructive powers that oppose his will and bring harm on … [Read more...]